Cabela’s announces plans for four new stores; Q2 profit up 31%

By Marianne Wilson

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela’s Inc. on Thursday announced it will open four new markets in 2014: Acworth, Ga., Augusta, Ga.; Missoula, Mont.; and Barrie, Ontario (Canada). The outdoor goods retailer also reported that its second-quarter net income surged 31% on a 10.5% rise in same-store sales.

The two stores in Georgia will mark Cabela’s entry into the state. In Aceworth, Ga., Cabela’s plans to open a 100,000-sq.-ft. store, with construction scheduled to begin this fall for a fall 2014 opening. Majestic Realty is developing the shopping center.

The store will be built in Cabela’s next-generation layout, designed to surround customers in an outdoor-like experience with museum-quality wildlife displays.

In Augusta, Ga., the chain plans to open its smaller-format Cabela’s Outpost format. The 42,000-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in spring 2014. It will be in the Village at Riverwatch development. MGHerring is managing the development.

The Augusta location will feature a Core-Flex floor plan allowing products to be rotated seasonally, as well as a rugged outdoor look and feel.

Construction on Cabela’s Missoula, Mont., location, also a Cabela’s Outpost store, is scheduled to begin this fall. The company anticipates a summer 2014 opening. It will be Cabela’s third Montana store, joining the Billings location opened in 2009 and a Kalispell location scheduled to open this fall.

Construction on the 70,000-sq.-ft. Cabela’s store in Barrie, Ont., is scheduled to begin this summer and Cabela’s anticipates a summer 2014 opening. The store will be built in Cabela’s next-generation layout designed to surround customers in the outdoor experience.

For the three months ended June 29, Cabela’s earned $44.6 million, just beating Wall Street's prediction, compared to $33.9 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue rose 21% to $756.8 million from $627.3 million.

Currently, Cabela’s operates 45 stores across North America with plans to open an additional 19 over the next two years.